All I Believe In
by Ski October
Summary: "The Spirits had it planned, so that's how it went down." Korra/Hasook. Post-finale, slightly AU.
1. Kismet

**I have absolutely nothing to say for myself. I promise I haven't given up on my Tahnorra fic, but I've hit a rather frustrating block and Hasook took the opportunity to sneak in with this little story. I have absolutely no idea where this thing is going - aside from the South Pole - but hopefully it won't turn out to be total rubbish.**

**On a side rant - I can't stand that Hasook just dropped off the face of Republic City, never to be seen or heard from again. I mean, talk about plot holes. I'm hoping that he shows up again in the finale tomorrow - or today, since it's two-thirty in the morning - or at least in season two. I actually like Hasook and I demand closure!**

**I'm the only one who's beta'd this - not even Elise has read it! - so try to overlook any grammatical errors. Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot. Korra and, unfortunately, Hasook both belong to Bryke.**

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"Hey, you're Hasook, right?"

The voice had jolted him out of his reverie – rather rudely, he thought – and he looked to his left to see a girl of about seventeen standing next to him. Her aquamarine eyes shimmered, stark against the caramel of her skin; her brown hair was a mess of ponytails. It didn't take long for him to recognize her as Avatar Korra: waterbender of the Fire Ferrets and savior of Republic City. Upon first impressions, he thought she looked very young, though he wasn't much older. He wondered where exactly she had come from.

"Yeah." For his monosyllabic reply, he was rewarded with a smile. A nice smile.

"I'm Korra," she said, as though he wouldn't have known that from the tabloids. "I play for the Ferrets now."

"I know," he replied, more or less indifferent. He noted the guilty look on her face and couldn't help but reassure her, "It doesn't bother me. You did more for the team in your first match than I did the whole time I was there."

She was only slightly appeased. "I didn't mean to permanently replace you – it just happened that way."

"That's how things usually work," he observed. "The Spirits had it planned, so that's how it went down."

"Can I ask why you didn't come to that match?" Her eyes were unnervingly blue, he noted, swimming with the power of unintentional persuasion. He wondered how long it had taken Mako to fall under their spell; the firebender had always had a weakness for bright eyes.

Hasook sighed quietly through his nose. "I was going to just leave them hanging, honestly. But I couldn't really do that to them, as much of a jerk as Mako can be. When I had gotten ready, though, my little brother ended up getting sick. I called in a doctor and spent the rest of the day at home with him. By the time he was better, I had been replaced."

"Well, I'm glad to hear your brother's all good now." Korra paused. "Mako's uptight and controlling, sure. You weren't doing _that _badly, though. Your moves were awesome, just not fast enough."

He nodded. "I've had a lot of free time, so I've been down here most of the time practicing. I'd like to learn older, more traditional styles, though. Northern, Southern, Foggy Swamp. Maybe when I have enough money, I'll get Eska and we'll visit those places."

"I was born in the South Pole," Korra revealed, her eyes soft with affection. "It's beautiful. The Southern Lights are one of my favorite parts of living there. It's amazing to see."

"My parents are from the Poles," Hasook chipped in. "Mom left the North and met Dad in the South. They came here just after I was born."

"My parents grew up together in the South. I think they were born loving each other. Who were your parents? Maybe I know of them."

"Atka and Umi."

Korra thought for a moment. Hasook could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she struggled to remember. Then she had it. "Yeah, yeah – Dad used to tell me stories about the things he did with his friend Atka. Penguin sledding, snow-bending fights, scaring the village girls. He always griped that when Atka met Umi, 'all the fun got sucked out of him'." Korra laughed, and the homesickness underneath the sound was audible to him.

"Your dad must be Tonraq, then."

Korra blinked in surprise. "Yeah. Did your dad tell you stories, too?"

"He did." Hasook allowed himself a small smile. "My favorite was about the day he met my mom, but the story of Tonraq meeting Senna is a close second. Dad used to say he felt vindicated – after all the grief Tonraq had given him about Umi, now he could return the favor."

Korra laughed again, and Hasook decided it was a sound he wouldn't mind hearing often. "I know this is kind of out of the blue, but I'm going to back to the South Pole in three days, for about a month or two. You should come with me."

He looked at her, hard. He had known this girl – in person – for all of ten minutes and she wanted him to go to the other side of the world with her? Sure, they had shared some personal details and anecdotes, but what did that amount to, really? She was still a stranger, just some girl with too much weight on her shoulders and too much mischief in her eyes. He must have looked like he was going to refuse, because suddenly the unintentional persuasion was _intentional_ and the full force of those eyes was unleashed upon him.

"I know we've known each other for ten minutes, but I feel like we'll be really good friends. And I'm the Avatar, so it's not like I'm going to mug you or throw you into antarctic waters or anything." Her pleading gaze intensified. "_Please?_"

He was silent for another minute or two, just stalling because even though he'd already given in he was reluctant to say it aloud. Finally, he sighed. "Alright. I'll go, but only because I sent my brother there. I need to bring him home."

Her celebration was put aside in favor of a curious look. "Your brother is in the South Pole?"

He nodded. "I sent him there a few days before Amon attacked the city. Once I heard about Amon almost capturing you, I knew things were going to get very bad, very soon. And I was right. A friend of mine is a sailor on a trade ship, so I called in a favor and got Eska passage with him."

"Wouldn't the Northern Tribe have been closer?"

"Yeah, but at the time I'd wanted him as far from Republic City as possible. Eska's a good bender, but I wouldn't risk his safety like that."

Korra smiled. "You sound like Mako. He always worries about Bolin." It wasn't long before her celebratory smile returned, her eyes dancing in the fading sunlight. "I'm so glad you're coming with me!"

"I'm glad you invited me," he returned.

"I'm glad I met you today." Her enthusiasm toned down. "I have wonderful friends, and I would love to share my home with them. But they have things to do here, rebuilding their homes and lives, and they just wouldn't understand or really belong there. I feel like Tui and La wanted us to meet today."

"The Spirits had it planned, so that's how it went down." His smile this time was bigger. Korra's was bigger still. "Yeah, I guess so. I have to get back to the island and finish up with some things, and start packing. If I don't see you again before we leave, I'll just meet you at the dock on the island, okay?"

He nodded. "Okay. Nice to meet you, Avatar Korra."

She grinned, and Hasook had the sense that she was reveling in some private joke. "Yeah, it's been a real pleasure."

Just like that she was gone, waterbending her way to the air temple. He watched her go, feeling like the last half hour had been a dream, but knowing that it was more than real. It was curious, the things that could happen when one least expected. And he had certainly not expected to meet and befriend the Avatar, then agree to a spontaneous trip down South, all within half an hour.

_Tui and La, indeed_, he mused.

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**There you have it - complete and utter nonsense. This is what I get for immersing myself in LoK during the wee hours of the morning.**

**Don't forget to drop a review in my box - they're like magic for my soul.**

**~Anna**


	2. Of Swimming and Handsome Waterbenders

**Here you are, my loves! Thank you so much for all the favorites, alerts, and reviews! You're golden ;)**

**First, a few things to note: The title is based off Miriam & Amadou's song "All I Believe In", so let that play while you read, along with "Vintage Red" by Jay Jay Pistolet. Second, in case it wasn't clear, this fic is post-finale, with some obvious plot-tweaking on my part. Lastly, Hasook's "swimsuit" at the end of this chapter closely resembles Sokka's cloth shorts from the Ember Island episodes, minus the loincloth-flap thing.**

**Special thanks to Elise(Blue-Winter-Angel) for beta-reading this beforehand - I love you, girl! - and to XxSkyxX for her unbridled enthusiasm for this story, and for her sheer brilliance. She gave me several fantastic ideas for this pairing, so be on the look out for those in the future :D**

**And now, without further ado, enjoy!**

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The morning of their departure dawned cold and gray, a streak of pale gold on the horizon the only break in the dull gray of the sky. Seagulls were calling out to one another and fishermen were bustling about the harbor. When Hasook arrived on the island, only a couple bags in tow, Korra hadn't gotten there yet. Not exactly in the mood to stand around and wait, he began the ascent up the hillside to the temple grounds.

He found Korra almost immediately.

She was surrounded by children dressed in the traditional garb of the Air Nomads, and all of them were airbending with each other. The moves they performed were graceful and uninhibited. Watching them all move with such carefree ease, Hasook smiled. The word _freedom _came to mind. It was one of the children who noticed him after a while, the oldest one. Her brown eyes lit up.

"Korra, is that him?" she asked, directing the Avatar's gaze to him. He offered a listless wave. "Is that the handsome waterbender boy who's going to the South Pole with you?"

Korra's face flushed dramatically and her countenance elicited a bark of laughter from him. Korra looked like she wasn't sure who to glare at – him or the airbender child. Finally, she gave up and sighed heavily. "Yes, Jinora. That's Hasook."

Upon hearing this, Jinora and her siblings turned their full attention to him. Hasook had never dealt much with younger children; Eska was relatively close to him in age. With three different sets of eyes peering up at him, he didn't think he'd ever felt so uncomfortable.

"Are _you_ going to marry Korra?" The younger girl asked.

_Looks like I spoke too soon, _he thought. "Uh, no. We're just going to the South Pole together."

"That's right, Ikki," Korra interjected, her tone firm and oozing a _this-conversation-is-over _vibe. Hasook smiled. "And we'll miss the boat if we keep talking, so -"

"I think you two should get married and live in a magic castle and have waterbender babies who make snowman puppets and -"

"_Ikki."_ Korra interrupted, rubbing the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "Hasook and I really need to go, and I'd like to leave before Mako gets out here and starts his _are-you-sure-you-have-everything _spiel."

Ikki pouted. "Fine."

Korra sent the kids back into a nearby building and walked over to the steps, picking up her bags. She came back to Hasook and smiled. "Ready to go?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Want any help with those?" She had at least six bags, and despite their lightness it was still quite a load. Her grateful smile was rewarding.

"Yeah, thanks." She handed him the four smaller ones and he bore the added weight easily.

By the time they had ridden the ferry to the harbor and boarded the ship that would take them to the South Pole, Korra was radiating excitement. Her eyes were almost too-blue, gleaming in the watery sunlight. He could practically feel her thrumming, and wondered if it was some kind of Avatar-Spirit World vibe. Or maybe he just needed some coffee.

Caffeine deprivation aside, Hasook couldn't deny that he was just as eager to get to the South Pole as his vivacious companion. His entire life had been spent in Republic City, its dirty alleys and shady criminals and surprisingly beautiful nooks all he had ever known. Beyond picturing much snow, Hasook couldn't even begin to imagine what the South Pole must be like. It all seemed like a terribly wonderful adventure to him, and he supposed that's what it was.

They made it to the ship with time to spare and were met by an imposing man in red military vesture. Hasook studied him, taking in the angular face and golden eyes; erect posture and cool confidence. This was someone of importance.

"Avatar Korra," the man greeted, gracing her with a friendly smiled. "Welcome aboard _The Lady Ursa." _

Korra smiled. "Thanks again for giving us a ride, General. This is Hasook, my friend I was telling you about yesterday. Hasook, this is Iroh, General of the United Forces."

Oh yeah. He was important. But titles had never much mattered to Hasook. People were people, and this man was no different. Nonetheless, it wasn't every day one met the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Hasook bowed respectfully. "I am honored. Thank you for allowing me passage on your ship."

"It is no trouble," Iroh assured, leading them up a flight of stairs to an upper deck. "A friend of Korra is a friend to me, and my friends are always welcome."

Hasook decided that he liked General Iroh.

"Unfortunately. Many of our cabins are out of commission, thanks to Amon. Much of the ship, and the fleet itself, is still being reconstructed. Until we get back to Fire Nation Capitol, we won't be able to make any significant progress in terms of repairs." Iroh explained this as he opened the door to an undamaged cabin. "I'm afraid this is all I can offer you in the way of room and board."

The room was decently sized, with two sets of bunk beds and a large window. Most everything was furnished in red, with the occasional gold or black detail. There was a small mirror on one wall, with a water basin set up below it. A small stove in the far corner, next to a low table set with chinaware and a teapot. It was the nicest room Hasook had been in for a long time.

"I apologize for the impropriety," Iroh was saying now, looking guilty and slightly uncomfortable. "But you'll have to share a room."

"It's cool." Korra tossed her bags on the bottom bed of one set of bunks, and took the rest from Hasook, repeating the action.

"Yeah, this is perfect for making waterbender babies." He wasn't exactly sure what made him say it – his sense of humor was skewed, and often presented itself at the most inopportune of times – but the look on the General's face and the ringing laugh Korra let loose more than made up for it.

Korra was still laughing when Iroh finally cleared his throat and affected a reproving demeanor. "Right, well. Once you've settled in, breakfast will be served in the mess hall, or what's left of it, and one of my infantrymen will show you around the deck. We'll be setting off in an hour, and this ship will be your home for the next month or so."

Hasook nodded and thanked him again, trying to make up for his joke. When Iroh had gone, he tossed his bags on the other bottom bunk and walked over to the water basin. The water was cold on his face and was a much needed refreshment. When he turned back around, he found Korra watching him in blatant amusement.

"What?"

"Waterbender babies?" She lifted a slim brow at him.

"Handsome waterbender boy?" he countered, and was secretly delighted when she blushed.

"Fine, you win that round," she conceded. "Let's go eat."

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Only a week into the journey and Korra was already declaring her imminent demise if she had to spend another minute on the warship.

Hasook leaned against the side of the ship, watching the blue waters as they sped by underneath the massive vessel. The sky was clear and just as blue as the seas; the sun was a burning source of life and light overhead. He had lived near the harbor all his life, but he had never really experienced anything like this before. He had never felt the wind and sea spray on his face or smelt the brine of salt or listened to the laughter of gulls. He enjoyed it immensely, and unlike his dramatic roommate he felt that he could spend the rest of his life out at sea. Perhaps that was the waterbender in him.

He could hear the telltale noises of a sparring match from behind and knew that Korra had yet again challenged one of the infantrymen to a duel, one of the many ways she chose to alleviate her seemingly perpetual boredom. He turned around to watch and noted that she was fighting – surprise, surprise – a firebender. Those were her favorite. Sometimes he wondered if she had really been born a firebender, as often as she automatically fell back on that element. She hardly ever bent any water.

The match was over almost as quickly as it had began. Korra was a ruthless fighter, and when it came to firebending her opponents were hard pressed to defeat her, despite their usual possession of greater experience. The firebender she had been fighting was sitting on the metal floor of the deck, shaking his head in bemusement. He and Korra shared a laugh at his own expense before he rose and went back to whatever it was he had been doing. Korra spotted Hasook lounging against the rails and sauntered over.

"Enjoy the show?" she asked, cheeky as ever.

"Not as much as I enjoyed the first one earlier this week," he replied. At her pout he added, "Your competition is outmatched. You're too much for them."

"Not to brag, but yeah. I'm a master firebender, though. I know these guys have had the best training, but it's like fighting rookies. I need more challenging opponents." She righted the cloth wrap that bound her chest.

"Why not spar with the General?" he suggested, careful not to follow the methodical movements of her slim fingers. "I'm sure he'd be challenging enough."

"You're not wrong. He was trained by Fire Lord Zuko himself, and I've seen him in action – Iroh's good. But he's also a General with an entire fleet to repair. He's already detouring to take us to the South Pole, so I'm not gonna pull him out of his work just to make him duel me."

Hasook nodded, already losing interest in the conversation. Korra noticed this and frowned. He was looking out at the water again, and she followed his gaze, trying to see what he found so interesting. Before she could begin pestering him, Hasook asked her, "Why don't you like being on this ship?"

"It separates me from the sea. I know I don't bend water as much as the other elements, but it's my innate element. I was born a waterbender and water is very much a part of me." Korra shrugged. "That, and after awhile you run out of things to do on a ship."

"Ah." That was a decent enough explanation and it had stopped her from getting on his case. Then an idea occurred to him. "You wanna go swimming?"

"What?" Korra blinked and looked up at him. She had to crane her neck back; he was a head and a half taller than she was.

"Do you want to go swimming?" he repeated, smirking at her. _He_ certainly wanted to. He couldn't remember the last time he had gone swimming, and for fun at that.

"You mean, like, in the sea? Right now?"

"Is there anywhere else?" He raised an eyebrow at her. Korra smiled. "Heck yeah, let's do it!"

She promptly began stripping off her boots and pants, tossing them to where her blue shirt lay crumpled by a stack of crates. As she tugged her hair loose from its confines, Hasook followed suit. He was considerably more clothed than she – tunic, undershirt, pants, boots. He didn't exactly have a swimsuit – he assumed Korra didn't, either – so his cotton underwear would have to suffice. He swallowed the little discomfort he felt at being so exposed in front of a girl – he had _some _propriety, thankyouverymuch – but something told him Korra didn't mind.

So when she dove into the ocean, graceful as an eelhound, he followed after her without a second thought.

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**Another chapter down; on to the next!**

**Reviews are love, and if there's anything in particular you'd like to see these guys do just tack the ideas/requests on to the end of you reviews.**

**~Anna**


	3. Of Reunions and Flying Sea Prunes

**Look at me go, cranking out chapters for you guys. Hasook is really speaking to me with this. Really, though, I'm not completely satisfied with how this chapter turned out. But I think it's just one of those tricky chapters that will never be just right, and at least the next chapter will be lots of fun. I'm also the only one who's beta'd this, and I'm running on four hours of sleep, so I hope you can forgive any mistakes.**

**Special thanks to XxShyxX, once again, for her love of Hasorra and for putting up with my craziness. Now on with the show!**

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"Hasook, come look!"

Korra's excited shout drew his attention from the borrowed book he was reading and, repressing one of his usual sighs, he rose and walked to where she stood at the front railing, looking out over the deck below. She looked at him with her bright eyes and the total elation churning in them was undeniable.

"What is it?"

"_We're here._"

And they were. Straight ahead of them – as well as around them, he was beginning to notice – was no longer only the sapphire of the ocean, but a stark expanse of pristine ice and snow. He could see glaciers and mountains looming on the distant horizon and the further they went the more he could see his breath collect in a thin mist just past his lips. How long had they been in the South Pole? Surely he would have noticed the drop in temperature ages ago.

_I'm noticing now, _he thought irritably. Winter in Republic City was cold, sure, but not like this. Here, in the antarctic tundra, he could feel the cold wrap around him and sink deep into his bones; icy fingers curling around his heart and gripping tightly. He shivered once, violently, and clenched his teeth tightly to keep them from chattering. _I'll have to get furs when we dock near her village._

It was another two hours before they made port, during which time Hasook had retreated to his shared room with Korra where there was at least a stove for warmth. He had actually dozed off after awhile, and awoke to Korra tugging on his hair. He swatted at her and stretched – more than a few joints cracking obnoxiously – before helping her collect their packed bags and heading down to the deck.

General Iroh was waiting for them. "It was a pleasure to have you both aboard my ship. I won't being seeing you until the spring, so until then, farewell Avatar and friend."

They returned the sentiments and Korra pressed an uncharacteristically sweet kiss to his cheek before thanking him again and setting off down the gangplank. When they reached the harbor, Hasook immediately caught sight of three adults in blue and white robes. White Lotus members, perhaps? His suspicion was confirmed when they approached Korra and bowed deeply.

"Avatar Korra," said the middle Lotus. He was an elderly man with steel gray hair. "The Order of the White Lotus welcomes you back to the South Pole."

"Missed you, too, Pops," Korra grinned, and the man looked like he was trying to repress an exasperated sigh. Another Lotus, the youngest of them, spoke up.

"Your family eagerly awaits your arrival, young Avatar."

Korra brightened at the mention of her parents. "Good to know you guys aren't going to lock me back up in that compound. And how many times do I have to tell you to all me by my name, Howl?"

The Lotus, Howl, retained a neutral countenance, but his brown eyes were smiling. He said nothing more, though, and the older man spoke again.

"Come, we can't dally around this harbor all day. There is a cargo vehicle that will take us to your village, where you and your friend will be deposited."

"What, you guys don't want to stick around?"

"Not particularly."

Korra pouted. "Gee, I feel loved. You guys didn't miss me at all?"

"I missed you," Howl said diplomatically. Korra beamed at him. "Of course you did. I missed you, too. All of you, actually, unpleasant as you can be."

The older man sighed and walked away, presumably toward the cargo vehicle. Howl sighed. "This way, you two."

"I wish I could have brought Naga with me." Korra frowned. "So much better than a truck."

"Who is Naga?"

"My polar bear dog. Her back leg is lame and she isn't fit to travel."

Hasook offered a murmured condolence and looked up to see the Lotus members waiting for them by the cargo truck. It was ugly thing, green and bulky. Hasook suspected the tires would locate and hit every rut and pothole from the harbor to the village.

They tossed their things in the back of the vehicle and climbed in, piling up in the cargo hold. Korra was bouncing in her seat with excitement and while Hasook was content to wait out the ride to the village, he was inwardly just as thrilled. Korra was tugging on his hair again, though, looking up at him with her too-blue eyes. He grunted a noncommittal sound of acknowledgment and she spoke.

"I can't wait for you to see the village and meet my parents, and my friends if they're still there. And I really want to meet your brother. Eska, right? Maybe we could all go penguin sledding."

"What?" What in La's name was penguin sledding? Probably exactly what it sounded like, he thought, but it _sounded_ ludicrous. "What is penguin sledding?"

Korra stared at him. "You've never been penguin sledding?"

"I've never even _seen_ a penguin. Never been outside the city, remember?"

"Oh, Hasook. You don't know what you've been missing." She shook her head and clucked her tongue. And then proceeded to launch into a spiel about otter-penguins and all of their fabulous qualities and cuteness and little noises. How to befriend them and bribe them with tiny fish. All the best tricks and places to sled. The White Lotus members sighed in a long-winded fashion, suggesting that they were used to Korra's tangents.

Hasook merely smiled and settled in for the remainder of the drive.

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"Mom, Dad!"

Hasook watched as Korra threw her bags into the snow and bolted for the couple standing outside of a modest igloo home. The man – or bear, he was so large – caught her easily in his arms and seemingly crushed her to him. The woman pulled Korra away after a moment and wrapped her slender arms around Korra's neck.

"I've missed you guys so much," Korra sighed, stepping back and looking at her parents warmly. "I want you to meet someone."

Hasook, who had been standing off to side, awkward and uncomfortable, suddenly found himself being snatched forward and dragged to the igloo. The rest of Korra's bags, and his own, fell into a heap in the snow around him. Korra still gripped his hand.

"Guys, this is my friend Hasook." Korra beamed as though she were proud to introduce him. "He was a probender, too."

"It's lovely to meet you Hasook," her mother greeted, all warm eyes and a smiling face. "I'm Senna. This is my husband, Tonraq."

"I know," he said as he and Tonraq gripped one anothers' forearms. "My parents told me stories about you two when I was younger."

"Atka?" Tonraq asked, smiling fondly. Hasook nodded. "He was an extraordinary man, and my best friend. You look just like him, you know."

"It's nice to hear someone say that. Do you know where my brother is?"

"Probably out behind the village waterbending with some of the other kids," Senna answered. "Why don't you bring your things inside and get settled while I fetch him? Then we can have supper."

While Senna bustled off to wherever Eska was, Tonraq took all of Korra's bags into the igloo and Hasook followed him inside. The interior was brightly lit by a fire and blessedly warm. There were tribal relics hung on the walls – a warrior's headdress, a shield, a painting – and it was probably the coziest place he'd ever entered. And he didn't even feel like he was intruding. He noted that there were a few smaller rooms off to various sides and followed Tonraq down one of the two on the right.

It was a small bedchamber, a space sufficient enough for sleeping and storing his luggage. He took in a second bed of furs to one side and assumed that Eska had been staying with Korra's parents and that this pile was where he had slept. But when Tonraq placed Korra's bags on top of it, Hasook stood corrected.

"This is Korra's room." It wasn't a question.

Tonraq nodded. "The room next to this one is Senna's and mine – this is the only place we can put you, so sorry if it makes you uncomfortable."

Hasook didn't feel the need to enlighten Korra's father on their sleeping arrangements aboard _The_ _Lady Ursa_. He'd like to keep his face the way it was. "It's not a problem. I just assumed Eska had been staying here."

"No, he's been with living with Elder Kanut on the other side of the village."

"How has he been? Has he been practicing his bending, keeping out of trouble?" He couldn't help the flood of paternal concern that overtook him. He hadn't seen his brother in almost a month – two, counting the voyage to the South Pole – and he had never gone so long without being with Eska.

Tonraq chuckled. "He's fine. Healthy, active, respectful to the elders, good with the little ones. Aside from a few practical jokes, he hasn't been one bit of trouble."

Hearing that did Hasook several worlds of good and he tossed his bags onto his own pile of furs. After he rolled his head to relieve some of the soreness in his neck, he became aware of Korra's absence.

"Where's Korra?"

Tonraq shrugged. "La only knows. My guess would be the center of the village, seeing everyone again. Why don't you go bring her in for supper?"

"Alright," Hasook mumbled, making his way back out into the startling cold. He trudged passed igloos similar to Korra's, but they seemed to be empty. When he got to what must have been the center of the village, he saw that Korra was surrounded by a crowd of people.

_They're praising her, _he realized. It made sense; Korra was an Avatar from the Southern Water Tribe, a personal hometown hero to her native people. Little children danced around her, tugging on her pants; young men eyed her appreciatively. He found that this last part bothered him considerably, and promptly decided _not_ to dwell on that train of thought. Korra spotted him and pushed her way through the drove.

"There you are," she said, laughing.

"There _you_ are," he returned, finding her laughter infectious. He smiled. "Tonraq sent me to get you for dinner."

Korra nodded and waved goodbye to her adoring fans. Everyone was disappointed but Korra promised to see them all again at the festival that night.

"Festival?" Hasook asked as they walked back to her parents' igloo.

"Not really a festival, but the people are throwing a celebration in honor of my saving Republic City and coming home. Kind of like a welcoming party."

"Sounds nice."

"Way better than the party Tarrlok threw me," she chuckled.

The smell of cooking food met them when they entered the igloo, and the first thing Hasook saw was a younger boy sitting by the fire. When the boy looked up and their eyes met, gray on gray, each of them broke into a smile.

"Hasook!"

One moment Eska was on the floor; the next he was wrapping Hasook in a death grip. He returned the embrace, smiling down at his little brother's dreadlocked head. It was good to see him again, and know for himself that he was safe and well.

"Eska. Keeping out of trouble?"

Eska stepped back and snorted. "You're kidding. Of course I haven't."

Hasook rolled his eyes, but couldn't keep the smile off his face. Eska was by far the more gregarious and amicable of the two of them. Having him away in the South was like having part of himself away in the South. He hadn't been complete.

"So, this is Eska?" Korra had been standing by as patiently as she could while the brothers had their reunion, but she was dying to meet the younger waterbender.

Eska looked at her with bright eyes. "Yeah, and you're Avatar Korra, right? Hasook, you didn't tell me you were dating the Avatar!"

_I'm going to have a serious talk with the Spirits later on,_ Hasook vowed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "We're not dating, Eska. We're not getting married, or moving to a magic castle, or having waterbender babies -"

"Dude, what are you talking about?" Eska was staring at him with raised black brows, trying not to laugh.

"Don't worry about it, kiddo," Korra interceded smoothly. "Just a few inside jokes with some airbenders. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

The three of them talked on for a while more, telling stories about this, and sharing opinions on that. Korra gave a few details about her fight with Amon, but nothing too personal. She told them of her experience with the Avatar State, and the boys shared what stories they could. Eska's first time penguin-sledding – Korra was delighted by this – and his recent waterbending achievements. It was in the middle of his recount of a sparring match with an older boy that Senna poked her head in the room and called them to supper.

A meal of hot seaweed noodles and stewed sea prunes was in order, and after they sent a prayer to the Spirits they dug in happily. There was a distinctly content atmosphere around the low table, a lot of smiles and laughter and Korra catching up with her parents. Hasook realized, once it was presented to him, how much he had missed this; the warmth and intimacy that connected a family, even through a simple dinner. A pang went trough his chest that he neither ignored nor wallowed in.

He didn't have time to do so anyway. Korra, in her infinite poise and grace, had been waving her chopsticks around to punctuate whatever she was saying, and the sopping sea prune that she had been holding suddenly escaped and smacked him right in the eye. It slid down his face, leaving a trail of purple juice in its wake. He looked at her – from the eye was wasn't squinted to keep out the juice – and found that her fist was jammed into her mouth to keep the laughter in. Her shoulders shook with the effort and her eyes watered slightly. Everyone else was hiding their smiles.

_Well, Miss Avatar, two can play at that._

As discreetly as he could, Hasook bent the juice from her bowl of prunes splashed it up into her face. Of course, instead of being upset, it was the push that sent her over the edge and soon she was sprawled out in floor, struggling to breath around her laughter. Feeling a bit triumphant, and even letting out a nice laugh of his own, Hasook wiped his face off and smiled down at her. Her laughter was high and clear, and just watching her made him want to laugh, too. When it became too much, he coughed out a bark of laughter that Eska picked up on; then Senna and Tonraq. Within seconds the igloo was filled with the raucous sound.

Hasook watched, taking everything in with new eyes. He saw his brother, black dreads swinging back and forth. Senna was leaning on Tonraq, chortling quietly to herself. Her husband was wiping tears from his eyes. And he saw Korra. The fire cast golden light on her features, her eyes aflame on her face like a burning sea. Her smile was radiant _and when in the past month had he begun to think of her this way? _She met his eyes and another laugh fell from her lips. A warm feeling wriggled its way into him and settled comfortably.

Sitting in the midst of such mirth and companionship, knowing that there were still many things in store, Hasook wondered what else the night would bring.

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**Not much, but there it is. I hope you guys enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Once again if you have any suggestions or requests just drop them in with your review.**

**Now, I'm going to take a much needed nap.**

**~Anna**


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